Eastman E10D: King of the MIC's

[shortymack]

Its been two days now since Ive took delivery of my Christmas present, an Eastman E10D, and I have to tell you all, these guys aren't messing around. Its a world class guitar for an amazing price and puts Eastman at the top of the heap of the made in China manufaturers. Heres my intial review that I posted on the UBGF:

I just got in late from Christmas shopping and was going to wait until tomorrow to open it but I couldn't resist.

Cracked open the case...two words, OH MY!!!!!! Beautiful. Took it out of its glove fitting case, picked it up while wiping the drool off of my chin and inspected the fit and finish, perfect. The woods they used are top notch, nice straight thin grained adi top with some bearclaw areas, and a gorgeous rich marbled mahogony back and sides. Then the real test...... the first chord. Absolutely amazing sounding. I did some runs up the neck, some more chords, arpeggios....simply astonishing. Not a hicup or dead area to be found anywhere, the setup was perfect. Clean, precise, warm, bright, loud, rich, just a few of the many adjectives I could use to describe this instrument. Since its late and I didnt want to wake the neighbors, I just noodled around for 5 minutes or so and heard all I needed to hear. I have been going around lately trying out and playing D28's, HD28's, D18's, D16's, D15's, GC customs, Breedloves, Taylors, Gibsons, and this my friends is one of THE best guitars I have ever played hands down. How they do it for the price is incredible. Simply put, the best deal going on any guitar right now bar none. A top of the line playing and sounding instrument at a entry level price. Mind blowing when you think about it. Yes, its that good.

So thats it for now, tomorrow I will put it through its paces. Hope I'll be able to sleep.

A big warm welcome to Eastman E10D ser# 8028 dated 12/13/10, fresh off the line! Thank you Eastman.

[cke]

I recently added an Eastman 12 string that I auditioned side by side with a Guild F-412. Wow! Eastman is the most lutherie-oriented shop in China IMO. They are rivaling many of the North American builders for ridiculous prices.

[prusaw]

I played some Eastman's last year and was amazed... Blind tests couldn't tell the difference between them and Taylors... I love Taylors, but for hundreds less, Eastman's are a great buy!

[BigRed51]

I decided a few weeks ago to get a guitar to keep in San Diego, since I am spending a great deal of time out there ... when I played an E10D, it took about 5 minutes to decide to take it home. I am a big fan of Blueridge, and have played several Guild, Johnson Carolina, and Recording King models, but I played two of these, and they truly make a statement ...

[llew]

I have the E10 OM. What a great guitar. The dread has got to be awesome! Congrats and welcome to "Club Eastman"...

[erivel]

Anyone here have experience with the E20D? I'm GASing bad for that one!

[emmonsh]

i had a eastman concert that was real nice, but in my opinion they dont match blueridge for sound. definately beautiful wood on eastmans but hard to find a american made that matches a blueridge with adi within twice the price

[zzcorazon]

Just picked up an AC312. I'm as happy with it -- sound and quality-build-wise -- as I ever was with my many Martin OMs (28VS, 18VS, -42, -1, and others). The only guitar I've owned that I would pay 2 grand+ for again is a Webber Roundbody. I owned four or five nice Larrivees and I'd pick an all-solid Eastman over any Larrivee model right now.

I admit my budget dictated my choice, but I still have to say how impressed I am with the AC312, and it's not because I own it -- it's because it's a great hand-built, all solid guitar, and the price is a bonus. I owned and sold 3 Guild GAD-30s and contemplated a fourth, but in a recent side-by-side play off, the Guild felt heavier than I remembered, where the Eastman is feather-light. It's very responsive, [the usual subjective tonal superlatives here], and cost less than 5 dead American inventors new.

Sound aside, the workmanship is also impressive. Asian guitars sometimes fail this test, but I could find nothing amiss -- and I scrutinized it. Lovely nitro finish, the ivoroid and fiber binding is neat and even, the rosette is cleanly inlaid, the bookmatched South American Mahogany sides and back are rich with flame, and the Sitka top is creamy and fine-grained. Bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge/fingerboard/end pin, tasteful MOP fret markers, and a pleasing rosewood veneer on the headstock. I would have paid more for a maple rosette and a volute (the AC512 comes to mind), but that's an aesthetic consideration. After 30 years of playing -- half of it devoted to serious fingerstyle -- I'd record with this guitar and not feel like the song was under-served.

The purpose of this not-quite-a-review is to second the OP's motion. If you have a sub-$1000 guitar budget and you want truly good quality, try Eastman. They don't use CNC machinery, they don't over-build, and the craftsmen/women are skilled enough to hand-carve violins, cellos and fine archtops. That's more than you can say about a number of American factory-built guitars.

[Broadus]

Congratulations, Shorty, on your Eastman. These are really fine guitars. I won't go as far as zzcorazon (I definitely prefer my Martin OM-21 to my Eastman AC710S), but every time I pick up my Eastman I'm amazed at the sound for what I paid for it.

Bill

[Taylorplayer]

I like Eastman's very much. Congrats!!!

[zzcorazon]

I didn't mean to imply the Eastman is the equal of the Martin, only that to my ear I'm as happy with it as the fine guitars I had from Nazareth. ; ) I'd still prefer a Webber, but the economy is not American-guitar-friendly. To me, anyway.

[earwighoney]

Originally Posted by zzcorazon

Just picked up an AC312. I'm as happy with it -- sound and quality-build-wise -- as I ever was with my many Martin OMs (28VS, 18VS, -42, -1, and others). The only guitar I've owned that I would pay 2 grand+ for again is a Webber Roundbody. I owned four or five nice Larrivees and I'd pick an all-solid Eastman over any Larrivee model right now.

I'm thinking of getting one of these.

Could you possibly give the specs? I think there's been different reports of what it's length and nut is.

[Broadus]

Originally Posted by earwighoney

I'm thinking of getting one of these.

Could you possibly give the specs? I think there's been different reports of what it's length and nut is.

Eastman, it seems, made some models with different scale lengths as they were trying to get established in the flat top guitar arena. I was told by an Eastman rep that my OM was a 24.9" scale length, but it measures 25.5" Other Eastman OM's have measured either 24.9" or 25.5", if I remember correctly.

As far as I am aware, they all have a 1 3/4" nut width. Mine has a very comfortable medium-C neck.

Bill

[Marvingriff]

I recently bought the E20D Adi top/Rosewood back and sides. It is one of the finest guitars I have ever owned and I have had high end models of Martin, Gibson and Taylor. It will hold its own with any of them. Tone is realitive anyway. To say it is better than those other guitars would be silly but it has the tone I have looked for for a long time. After about a month of playing it I sold my HD 28V.

[TJChapin]

Wow nice looking guitar! Congrads, wouldlove to audition some. Anybody know of Eastman dealers in Austin?